Mountain Blog

Mother Nature kicked off the New Year with 22 inches of snow! It was an epic powder day at Purgatory Resort, with face shots and fluffy turns galore. Here are a few of our favorite pictures from the day! Check the snow report for the latest trail openings and mountain updates! Plan your next day […]

Backcountry skiing and snowboarding has been gaining in popularity and with good cause. Providing access to untouched powder, amazing lines, incredible scenery, and no crowds, backcountry skiing is truly a special experience. Don’t have the gear? Don’t know where to safely go? Don’t want to slog uphill? Let Purgatory Snowcat Adventures take care of that […]

The holidays have arrived and Purgatory Resort is celebrating with plenty of festive events, activities, and experiences for all ages! Here’s a roundup of our favorites from Christmas through New Years Eve. You don’t want to miss these memory-making activities at the resort. Santa and Mrs. Claus Visit Purgatory 12/22/18 Santa and Mrs. Clause are […]

The snowmaking temperatures have been fantastic, our snowmaking crew’s efforts have been relentless and we’re excited to announce that Purgatory will not only be open top to bottom tomorrow (see the video) but we’ll also be running the Graduate Lift and Columbine Magic Carpet! Graduate and the Columbine Magic Carpet services one of our beginner […]

Purgatory opens this Saturday, November 17, and we are stoked to announce that we will be open top to bottom! We managed to get a few minutes with Sam Williams, Purgatory’s senior director of mountain operations, to tell us what we can expect beginning Opening Day: PURG: Top to bottom access! What trails will be […]

Winter is just around the corner and El Niño is off to a great start with over 3″ of snow falling overnight at Purgatory! Plus, OpenSnow is forecasting up to 13 more inches by the end of the week. Keep an eye on our live cam as the snow continues to fall, then head up […]

Yesterday, we shared Unofficial Networks’ post that our mountains could start seeing snow as early as this weekend. Plus, snow was spotted Pigeon and Turret just this afternoon – check it out! With natural snow in the forecast, we talked with Josh Hamill, our head of snowmaking, about how Purg is preparing to create its […]

Fall colors are popping up around the mountain! Peak season is upon us, which means it’s time to break out the camera! Whether you’re a professional photographer looking for the best portrait spots or simply want the perfect Instagram shot, look no further! Here’s our roundup of the best places to see fall colors around […]

With peak fall colors showing up around the mountain, there’s no better time to look back on the stunning golden hues from the last couple years! Our guests love exploring the stunning mountainside among the changing aspens, on foot, on the scenic chairlift, and by ATV. And this year, we’ve added to the fun with […]

Ski season begins in 4 weeks when Purgatory is scheduled to open Saturday, November 17th! El Niño is in the forecast for the 2018/2019 season, which typically means more snow at Purgatory Resort. Released just this morning, the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is currently predicting a 70% chance of El Nino conditions for […]

Purgatory’s new mountain coaster is nearing completion! Construction crews are finishing track work, doing load tests and finalizing approvals ahead of the much-anticipated opening date, which is still unscheduled but slated for the summer operating season. Located near Eolus Condominiums and Lift 4, the 4,000-foot long coaster will zoom passengers through nine switchbacks, one 360-degree circle […]

The white festival tent is up and the wildflowers are blooming–that means it’s time for Music in the Mountains! Each year, Purgatory hosts several classical (and not so classical!) performances under the stunning peaks of the San Juan Mountains. We wanted to learn more about what makes this annual event so unique, so we asked […]

Carve Wars, the “high octane” chainsaw carving competition series, is taking over America! The action-filled two day event starts Friday at Purgatory, with a quick carve contest and time for the competitors to work on their overall masterpieces. We wanted to learn more about what makes Carve Wars so unique, so we interviewed Dave Hagan, […]

Summer is here and Purgatory Resort is reopening for daily operations on Monday, July 2nd! Come enjoy the cooler mountain temperatures, exciting summer activities (including the NEW kids off-road track), and fun for the whole family! Here’s what you can expect starting on Monday! Activities – open 9am to 5pm, daily starting July 2 Alpine […]

On June 1st, a wildfire, called the “416 Fire,” was first reported in the Mitchell Lakes area of Hermosa, south of Purgatory Resort along the west side of Highway 550, and Purgatory was forced to temporarily suspend its operations. Firefighting efforts began as soon as it was reported and it continues to be an active […]